Chapter 79

"I'm wondering if I heard you right?"

Eunseok took a deep breath, trying to hold onto his composure.

Hajin dropped back into his usual manner, took a big bite of cake, and — chewing — nodded brightly.

"You heard exactly right."

"Hm. Just spend money instead?"

After mulling it over for a moment, Eunseok slid back into businessman mode, straightened his posture, and fixed Hajin with a level look.

He might not look it, but he was still the heir apparent of a mid-sized company — a son of wealth who'd spent a lifetime learning to read people.

Eunseok caught on quickly that this twenty-year-old brother's-friend sitting across from him had shown up with the answer sheet already filled in.

"…this is going to be a long conversation. If it's all right with you, want to keep talking at my office?"

"Uh…. Sorry, but is it somewhere close by? My place is kind of far, hyungnim."

"I'll put a driver on you for the ride back. You're the maknae's friend — that much I can do."

"…a driver?"

Long live having rich friends (well, a rich friend's brother). The best. Rich friend's older brother — even better.

Feeling the thrill of power, Hajin let out a whistle.

---

Eunseok's office wasn't as far as Hajin had expected.

Except — the "office" in question turned out to be, not his company, but Eunseok's actual "personal office" — and it floored Hajin.

'Home separately, company separately, office separately. So this is the world those people live in.'

Eunchan's studio apartment (calling that thing a "studio" already took some nerve) had been startling enough, but this was on a whole other level.

'I really do have to bust my ass making money. I have to succeed.'

Once again engraving his young-and-rich resolve into his bones, Hajin sank onto the sofa Eunseok directed him to and set his bag down.

"Hmm, so… shall we pick this back up?"

Having asked Hajin to bear with him while he changed into something more comfortable, Eunseok came back out and sat opposite. In square-framed glasses, Eunseok looked much more like Eunchan — probably because the frames masked the rounder lines of his features.

"To block the suspicion that money's being spent to push the maknae — what kind of money do I need to spend, and how?"

This was the key moment. Keeping his gestures and expression as trust-inspiring as he could manage, Hajin spoke crisply, at his steadiest voice.

"Miro Maze, the show we're on — it airs on Ntv, but the actual production is being handled by an outside company."

"The maknae's on the show. I know that much already."

"Yes, exactly. So what I want is to put weight behind the production company so they can hold the broadcaster's CP in check."

"How?"

"I have evidence that the broadcaster's CP — PD Yoon Giseok — rigged the viewer voting."

"……!"

"I'm planning to hand that over to the production company."

Startled again by Hajin's unhesitating disclosure, Eunseok deftly masked it and asked back,

"That's hardly enough to threaten a broadcaster. All they have to do on their end is cut the tail off."

"Exactly. That's what I'm aiming for."

"……"

"Since when could a production company threaten a broadcaster. But the production company's CEO came up through Variety at Ntv — he can grab a meal with an old sunbae, right? And that sunbae just happens to be the Ntv Bureau Chief."

Hajin gave a mischievous laugh — what's the problem, right?

"Grabbing a drink with a sunbae you haven't seen in ages, and then carefully passing along a bit of advice. Looks like CP Yoon's been taking payoffs and rigging things. If this comes out, the hit's going to be brutal — and hyungnim, aren't you about due to make Bureau Chief?"

"……"

"Now, as your hoobae, I'm just — I'm too worried, so I'm telling you. What do we do here? Wouldn't it be better to just quietly cut the tail off at CP Yoon and the trainee who was in on the rigging!"

"…Hajin — you said you were twenty?"

"A beautiful twenty who could chew rebar for breakfast."

Granted, I've regressed something like four times and I'm on about my fifth run of it.

…that part, obviously, he kept behind his teeth.

"Anyway, this is where I'd need your help, hyungnim."

"Hmm. Are you asking me to set up a dinner between the production company CEO and the Bureau Chief?"

Eunseok voiced his own read on it. Corporate money was usually needed at exactly that kind of moment.

But Hajin shook his head lazily, like that wasn't even close.

"Hyungnim, you're thinking smaller than I expected."

"That was me saying I couldn't begin to guess what you were thinking."

The maknae's really made himself an incredible friend. Eunseok let out a small sound of admiration.

"Close enough, though. The CEO also has to have something in it for himself before he'll take the evidence I hand him and go put the screws on the Bureau Chief."

"So — bribe the production company's CEO?"

"Ah, please — that's a scary way to put it. I don't do payoffs. Let's do it above-board. As an investment."

Hajin pulled an L-shaped folder out of his bag. The document format was one Eunseok knew very well.

〈Investment Proposal〉

"You've been pushing a younger image lately, right? How about making some variety content?"

Eunseok carefully looked over the cleanly organized proposal. From web-variety content that nailed Judiz Furniture's latest branding trend right in the crosshairs, to a range of video formats built around Miro's artists — everything was laid out. For today's meeting, Hajin had put this together himself, consulting with Suho and cutting into his sleep to do it. It was the pure product of a PD career spent cranking out proposals day in and day out — and on quality, he was confident.

"Definitively handle CP Yoon and the trainee in question, and edit the show so that Judiz Furniture's on-air exposure is kept to a minimum. If any issue arises in connection with this matter, prioritize protection of Eunchan's image and person above all else."

"……"

"All of the above, conditional on Eunchan making it safely through this survival to a proper debut."

If the concern was work, guarantee the work.

He could have gone through Ji Suho and had Miro put up the money themselves, but there was a limit to how much capital an agency could pour in just to move a single production company.

Also — this fight couldn't look like Miro versus the broadcaster in a power struggle.

'A little brother who almost got sacrificed to the antics of a rigging-trainee and a bribe-taking PD. And a big brother going full nuclear with his checkbook because of it — that's about the right shape.'

That could, in turn, make Eunchan the production company CEO's pick and land them right back in another round of biased editing.

But Hajin trusted his old sunbaenim, PD Kwon. Give her this much of the traffic sorted, and she'd take care of the rest herself.

Eunseok read the proposal through carefully, then read it again. Hajin sat with it patiently, giving him the time.

After a long stretch of thinking, Eunseok spoke.

"You put this together yourself, Hajin?"

"Yeah, more or less."

"…any interest in a real job instead of being an idol? I could set you somewhere good."

"If I don't do idol in this life, I won't live out my natural years."

"Haha, even your refusal is fun. Makes me want you more."

Not knowing that it wasn't a joke but the honest truth, Eunseok laughed heartily. Then he picked up his phone and called someone.

"Hello Chief. It's me — yes. He'll be down in a moment, so I'll leave him in your hands. Friend of the maknae's."

The driver who'd be taking Hajin home, presumably. Once the call was done, Eunseok tidied the proposal back into the L-shaped folder and stood.

"For now, I'll take a serious look at this. It's still company money, so I probably can't make the call on my own."

"Of course, absolutely. Take your time."

"Could I get your number? I'll get back to you the moment there's a decision."

"Hmm — wouldn't going through Suho-Team-Lead work?"

At Hajin's puzzled response, Eunseok patted his shoulder carefully, as if in encouragement.

"The maknae's been talking about you a lot lately."

"……"

"Before, when I called it was all practice stuff or him talking about himself. But at some point he started telling me about his friends. In this really happy voice."

His much-younger brother tended to put on a fairly mature front, but he'd been prone to loneliness ever since he was small.

Even after Eunseok had gotten married and, with no other choice, had to leave Eunchan alone in that house, that was why he called every evening to check in.

"Today Hajin-hyung made me dinner; today Hajin-hyung taught me and Haru and Taehyun a board game and I won three rounds."

"……"

"And how Hajin-hyung's always calling him right when he's about to fall asleep and then pretending to be asleep himself — how annoying it is. That one comes up a lot too."

"…oh my, why is he even going and reporting things like that."

"That's why I agreed to meet you today. I wanted to know who this hyung the maknae was so fond of was. And I was a little jealous."

Eunseok held out his phone. Only then did Hajin, without any lingering suspicion, punch his number carefully into the keypad. Well — no downside to picking up a chaebol older brother.

"Would it be all right if I reached out like this every so often, when something comes up with Eunchan? The kid won't tell me a thing when something's bothering him."

"Sure. If anything comes up, I'll get in touch."

"Thanks. I know it might be putting you on the spot."

"…I've got a little brother too, so I know how it feels."

With Hawon in mind, Hajin handed the phone back with a tender smile.

"I'll head out, then. Thank you for the driver — I'll be waiting on a quick reply on the proposal."

"I'll look it over and get back to you promptly. And — please, take care of our maknae."

"Well, whether or not we'll even get to debut together is still up in the air."

"Even if debut falls through, be sure to reach out. I'll keep a seat open at the company."

"…if I don't want to get forcibly employed, then I really do have to debut this time. Thanks for the motivation."

A little chilled by Eunseok's dogged love-call for a talent he clearly coveted, Hajin let out an awkward ha-ha and dipped a small bow. Eunseok, for his part, watched Hajin leave the office with an unmistakably pleased look.

Coming out of Eunseok's office, Hajin got into the car waiting on the ground floor. He gave the driver his home address and leaned comfortably back into a seat that felt distinctly different from any he'd sat in before.

〈Hooked.〉

Hajin sent the short message to Ji Suho and closed his eyes against the wave of fatigue pouring over him.

Finally, all the cards were on the table.

The week of vacation was drawing to a close.

---

Vacation was over.

Time for every trainee to leave their sweet freedom behind and come back to cold reality.

But the mood in the practice room, with all the trainees gathered, was warmer than expected.

"We made the trending page. Any of you read the comments?"

"I was too scared to look…. It's too embarrassing if my name isn't in there."

"Yo, my old socials and Insta burners all got dug up. Fucking scary."

The fervor around 〈Miro Maze〉 had awakened trainees who'd been starving for attention.

"It's kind of wild, though — that typing our names in now actually brings up stuff online."

The group stretching and chatting turned to look at the guy they'd figured would land at the top.

"So jealous, Seongwoo-hyung. When I searched, there was so much talk about you."

Bathing in looks that mixed a little jealousy, a little rivalry, and a lot of admiration, Seongwoo pulled out a smile even more magnanimous than usual.

"Ah, come on. The first broadcast hasn't even aired yet."

"It'll only get better once the first broadcast drops, hyung~ You're in Wings, you won your battle too."

"Yeah, you're only going to get more popular, hyung. Ah, so envious. You look like a lock for debut."

"Come on, guys, don't be like that. We've all got to work harder together! If you put the effort in to show more, people will notice you too."

Not that it matters — you lot could practice a hundred years and you'd still just be edit-fodder to make me look good. But sure, work hard while you're at it?

Deftly hiding the inner monologue, Seongwoo sank into a sense of superiority he hadn't felt in a while.

He'd panicked for a bit after completely blowing his last stage, but the moment he heard about the episode-1 edit direction from CP Yoon, his drive had come right back.

—We're going to play up the clash between you and Kang Hajin, big.

—Kang Hajin as the guy who just joined and is all drive with nothing to back it up; you the opposite — someone who's been diligently training for a long time but is still a little short on confidence.

—Then, in the end, you get pushed into awakening by Kang Hajin's provocation and edge him out in the battle. That's the picture.

'What viewers see is the broadcast. That's what matters.'

And he had every condition lined up to be that broadcast's protagonist.

'And Paran… I asked them to edit around it, so it'll work out somehow.'

Off-key parts could be fixed in post; a botched lyric could be spun as a nerves-driven slip.

'Right. If the first broadcast just lands right, it's basically me way out in front.'

Seongwoo's shadowed eyes settled on Hajin's reflection at the far edge of the mirror.

Hajin was at the far end of the practice room, using Haru's leg as a pillow, cackling and giving Eunchan a hard time. Watching this, Taehyun shook his head and quietly moved over to where Siwoo and Doha were.

'Just watch. I'm going to win. No question.'

And Hajin — who'd been feeling those smoldering eyes on him from aa~way back — snorted and swung around.

"Glare all you want. Only your own eyes'll hurt."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Aigo, our Haru's leg is comfy."

At the old-man-sounding noise, Haru blinked in confusion.

Beside him, Eunchan — who'd just lost nine straight rounds of rock-paper-scissors to Hajin — was huffing that it wasn't fair.

"One more time!"

"You really need to fill out a full ten losses before you'll admit defeat, huh, our Chan?"

"You really didn't cheat?"

"What kind of cheat can you pull in rock-paper-scissors. Talk sense."

At the absurd protest, right as he tried to snort, Eunchan and Haru both slid him a suspicious side-eye. Even Thirteen, watching all of this from the sidelines, floated up something along the lines of:

If it's you…. (≖_≖ )

— at which Hajin, feeling somehow wronged, threw a few shadow-boxing punches into the air and aired his indignation.

'What the hell do these kids take me for?'

Screwing up every feature of his face into a sad, wronged look, Hajin pressed a big hand to his cheek.

"Waaah. Jini is so sad."

"Ease up, hyung."

"That one crossed a line."

"…it's not working."

Tch. As Hajin sheepishly smacked his lips, the phone in his pocket gave a short, low buzz. Pulling it out to check what the alert was, he grinned and looked at Eunchan.

"Chan-ah. You may be a paper-idiot who only throws paper on the first round of rock-paper-scissors, but hyung loves you."

"Wh… ah! For real!?"

"Hyung doesn't lie about this kind of thing."

Then, milking the sleaziest tone he could, he winked at Eunchan — who, exactly as predicted, freaked out and shot straight to his feet.

"Where are you going, my love."

"Today, no matter what happens, I'm switching rooms with Doha-hyung."

Eunchan, face set with grim resolve, fled the spot.

Hajin put on a rueful smile, but there was no faking that he adored Eunchan to death.

He looked back down at the messenger app in his hand.

〈Judiz Furniture_Ju Eunseok (Eunchan's brother) ‖ Proposal approved. Please take good care of our maknae~〉

'Aigo, what a little lucky charm.'

Finally — it was time to set off the bomb.